At the AGE-WELL 2024 conference, Christina Commisso (DATE lab MSc student) gave a three-minute talk on her research titled “Understanding Task Sequencing in Older Adults with Dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment.” The study investigates how older adults with cognitive impairment cue themselves to stay on-track when completing everyday household tasks.
Commisso recruited twenty individuals (15 with no cognitive impairment and 5 with cognitive impairment) to the HomeLab at Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, during which they completed three household tasks: (1) make a cup of coffee or tea, (2) make a bed, and (3) fold laundry. Participants are fitted with eye-tracking glasses and a sensor watch while they complete tasks to give information on where they are looking to cue themselves. The research involves analyzing the patterns of their actions and how long they took.
Christina presenting her research at AGE-WELL 2024
So far, the findings reveal some differences in task completion between people with cognitive impairment compared to people with no cognitive impairment, such as more repetition of errors and a longer time to complete each task, on average.
This study highlights the importance of uncovering when and where people with cognitive impairment go off-track when completing tasks. If specific triggers or patterns are identified, technologies can be developed that help cue individuals with cognitive impairment to stay on-track when completing tasks, thereby increasing their independence.